impurity of the hart and doe watch it with all diligence that they can and labour to restraine that the corruption thereof burst not out eyther to the hurt of themselues or others Let no deuout soule be dismayed because his prayer is not suddainly heard but hope with patience the visitation of our Lord because he will poure his mercy plentifully on all those that call vpon him In our prayers we ought diligently to aske for mortification of our appetites and passions for they are subtile enemies The Romaines vpon certaine high dayes prayed for encrease of wealth to the people of Rome which Scipio beeing Censor changed saying that it was sufficient and that they ought onely to pray vnto God to preserue it such as it was Thy prayer is thy speech to God when thou readest God speaketh to thee when thou prayest thou talkest with God Let prayer ascend that grace may descend Hee that knoweth how to pray well knoweth how to liue well VVher the mercy of the giuer is not doubted the negligence of him that prayeth is to be reprehended Prayer must be accompanied with the exercise of mortification No prayer can tie the will of God vnto vs except first of all we renounce and conquer our owne wills Pray in thy hart vnto God at the beginning of all thy works that thou mayst bring them to a good conclusion Fixe thy iudgement in prayer on thy faith and not on thy experience because fayth is true and experience deceitfull Pray not to God to giue thee sufficient for that hee will giue to euery man vnasked but pray that thou maist be contented and satisfied with that which he giueth thee Heauen shall cease to be when it shall cease to runne and men cease to prosper when they cease to pray The wrath and loue of God follow each other but the former is mittigated by prayer and repentance Prayer repentance bringeth peace to the vnquiet conscience Orans considerare debet quid petit quem petit seipsum qui petit Bernardus Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus Of Blessednes Defi. Blessednesse or beatitude is the grace of God and his benefits bountifully bestowed on them that serue him and keepe his commaundements TRue blessednes from mortall eyes is hid and left as obiect to the purer spirits That man cannot be truly blessed in whom vertue hath no place A man that is wise although he fall into extreame pouerty yet is hee very rich and greatly blessed Aristotle calleth blessednes an outward quietnes Blessednes farre of beginneth from humilitie A blessed man cannot erre There is no truer happines in this life then that vvhich beginneth euerlasting happines and no truer misery then that which leadeth to euerlasting misery The first felicity that godly men haue after this life is the rest of their soule in Christ the second shall be the immortality and glory of their bodies Socrates and Plato of all the Philosophers were in the rightest way to blessednes yet that small sparkle of truth was often quenched with opinions This is perfection and happines euen for euery thing to attaine the ende for which it was created and therein to rest and be blessed Since in euery thing the excesse is hurtfull the aboundance of felicitie is most daungerous It is not true blessednes which hath an end Hatefull and haplesse is that happines that trayneth men from truth to insolence If thou knowest all that ought to be known thou art truly blessed They are to be accounted blessed to whom Fortune hath equally wayed the good with the euill All things truly belonging to blessednes do cheefely consist in the noble vertue of wisedome True blessednes consisteth in a good life a happy death Not the rich but the wise auoyde miserie and become happy and blessed They that thinke riches the cause of happines deceaue themselues no lesse then if they supposed that cunning playing vppon the Lute or Harpe came from the instrument and not from Art That man is vvorthily counted blessed to whom nothing can seeme intollerable which may discourage him or nothing so pleasant that may proudly puffe him vp or make him vaine-glorious Those men be truly blessed whom no feare troubleth no pensiuenes consumeth no carnall concupiscence tormenteth no desire of worldly wealth afflicteth nor any foolishnes mooueth vnto mirth True felicity consisteth in the good estate of the soule Felix anima quae spreto turbini seculi pertransiens corporis claustra illius summi et incompres hensibilis lucis potest aliquo illustrari radio faelix cui victa voluptas Terga dedit longi quem non fregere dolores Of Loue. Defi. Loue is the most excellent effect of the soule whereby mans hart hath no fancie to esteeme value or ponder anie thing in this world but the care and study to know GOD neyther is it idle but worketh to serue him whom it loueth and this loue is heauenlie There is also a loue naturall and that is a poison which spreadeth through euery vaine it is an hearb that being sowne in the intrailes mortifieth all the members a pestilence that through melancholy killeth the hart and the end of all vertues LOue is the Maister of boldnes and confidence Loue is an vnreasonable excesse of desire which commeth swiftly departeth slowly VVhosoeuer loueth is deceaued and blinded in that which he loueth The loue that a man getteth by his vertues is most permanent Loue is full of speach but neuer more aboundant therein then in praises A friend loueth alwayes a louer but for a time The loue of beauty is the forgetting of reason Loue begun in perrill sauoureth of greatest delight when it is possessed Loue inchanteth the harts of men with vnfit fanciees and layeth beauty as a snare to intrap vertue Fancie is neuer painted but treading vpon thornes Parrahsius drawing the counterfaite of loue paynted her tickâ—ing youth on the left side with a feather and stinging him on the right side with a Scorpion Loue is a fading pleasure mixed with bitter passions and a miserie tempered with a fewe momentary delights Loue is a vertue if it be mesured by dutifull choise and not maimed with wilfull chance Lawlesse loue neuer endeth without losse nor the nuptiall bed defiled escapes without reuenge Zeno. Fancie is a vvorme that byteth forest the flourishing blossomes of youth Loue is not to be supprest by wisedom because not to be comprehended by reason Hote loue is soone colde and faith plighted vvith an adulterers vowe is tyed vvithout conscience and broken without care Loue as it is variable so is it mighty in forcing effects without deniall As Venus hath her charmes to inchaunt so Fancie is a sorceresse that bevvitcheth the sences Cupid is not to be resisted with courage but entertayned with curtesie Loue vanquisheth Tirants conquereth the mallice of the enuious and reconcileth mortall foes vnto perfect loue and amity Loue is a heate full of coldnes a sweete full of bitternes a paine full of
pleasantnes making thoughts haue eyes and harts eares bred by desire nursed by delight weaned by iealousie kild by dissembling and buried by ingratitude That which with the hart is loued with the hart is lamented Loue is a worme vvhich commonly liues in the eye and dies in the hart Legmon To be free from loue is straunge but to think scorne to be beloued is monsterous Loue and royalty can suffer no equals Loue being honest may reape disdaine but not disgrace Loue is the daughter of desteny the simpathy of afectiōs is fore-pointed by the stars He that feedes vppon Fancy may be troubled in the disgestion Loue vvithout his fruite is lyke a picture without a face Loue neuer tooke thought but neere her lifes end hope of heauen had neuer feare of hell Things immortall are not subiect to affection Affection bred by inchauntment is like a flower wrought in silke in colour and forme most like but nothing at all in substance and sauour Loue gotten by witch-craft is as vnpleasant as fish taken with medicines vnwholsome Loue is a Camelion vvhich draweth nothing into the mouth but ayre nourisheth nothing in the body but the tongue Loue breaketh the brain but neuer bruseth the brow consumeth the hart but neuer toucheth the skinne and maketh a deep scarre to be seene before any wound be felt A man hath choyse to begin loue but not to end it It is meet for Louers to prefer manners before money and honesty before beauty Lawlesse loue without reason is the verie load-stoue to ruth and ruine Loue couereth a multitude of sinfull offences and loyaltie recouereth a world of infirmities Loue knots are tyed with eyes cannot be vntyed with hands made fast with thoughts not to be vnloosed with fingers To haue a saire Mistresse in loue and want golde to maintaine her to haue thousands of people to fight and no penny to pay them maketh your Mistres wilde and your souldiours tame True loue is neuer idle but worketh to serue him whom he loueth Aug. As Iuie in euery place findeth some-what to cleaue vnto so loue is sildome without a subiect Likenes of manners maketh loue stedfast and pure Haunt not too much thy friends house for that ingendereth no great loue neyther bee thou long frō thence for that begetteth hate but vse a meane in all things Socrates Better are the rebukes of him that faythfully loueth then the flattering wordes of hym that deceitfully hateth Mar. Aur. VVithout loue no vertue can be perfect Loue as Plato the Phylosopher sayth is threefold the first onely embraceth vertue the second is infamous which preferreth bodilie pleasure the third is of the body and soule nothing more noble thē the first then the second nothing more vile the third is equall to both Loues scope beeing pleasure it will not so much as vtter griefe in the forme of pleasure Loue is a cruell impression of that wonderfull passion which to bee defined is impossible because no wordes reach to the strong nature of it and onely they knowe it which inwardly doe feele it Hee that makes not his Mistresse a Goldsinch may perhaps in time finde her a VVagtayle The assaults of loue must be beaten back at the first sight least they vndermine at the second Pythag. He that looketh to haue cleere water must digge deepe hee that longeth for sweet musicke must straine Art to the highest and he that seeketh to win his loue must stretch his labour and hazard his lyfe It falleth out in loue as it doth with Vines for the young Vines bring the most wine but the old the best Byrds are trayned with sweet calls but they are caught with broad Nets so louers are inlured with fayre lookes and intangled vvyth disdainfull eyes Of loue mixed with mockery foloweth the truth of infamie Pythag. He that hath sore eyes must not behold the Candle nor he that would leaue his loue fall to the remembrance of his Lady for the one causeth the eyes to smart and the other procureth the hart to bleede A louer is like the hearb Helitropiam which alwaies inclineth to that place where the sun shyneth beeing depriued of the sun dyeth Like as the fire wasteth the wood so scornfulnes consumeth loue Her There must be in euery triangle three lines the first beginning the figure the second augmenteth the figure and the third concludes it So in loue there are three vertues affection which drawes the hart secrecie which increaseth the hope and constancie which sinisheth the worke Loue can neuer be truly fixed when in him that is beloued there wanteth merrit It is conuenient in loue to be discreet and in hatred prouident and aduised Loue is a frantick frenzie that so infects the mindes of men that vnder the tast of Nectar they are poysoned with the water of Stix Loue brings one lewd lookes to command by power and to be obeyed by force Loue and Fortune fauors them that are resolute Louers oft tymes proceed in theyr sutes as Crabs whose paces are alwayes backward As affection in a louer is restlesse so if it bee perfect it is endlesse Loue is a sweet tyrannie because the louer endureth his torments willingly The mind of a louer is not where he liueth but where he loueth Loue fixed on vertue increaseth euer by continuaunce The passionate Louer if he sayle loue is his Pilot if he walke loue is his companion if he sleepe loue is his pyllow Loue is onely remedied by loue and fancie must be cured by affection Sophocles being demaunded what harme he would wish to his enemy aunswered that he might loue where he was not fancied Loue is most fortunate where courage is most resolute Affections are harder to suppresse then enemies to subdue Louers othes are like fetters made of glasse that glister fayre but couple no constraint Loue maketh a man that is naturally addicted to vice to bee endued vvith vertue forcing him to apply himselfe to all laudable exercises that thereby he may obtaine his louers fauour coueting to bee skilfull in good letters that by his learning he may alure her to excell in musicke that by his melodie hee may intice her to forine his speech in a perfect phrase that by his learning eloquence he may perswade her and what nature wanteth he seeketh to amend by nurture the onely cause of thys vertuous dysposition is loue Loue be it neuer so faythfull is but a Chaos of care fancie though neuer so fortunate is but a masse of myserie Chilo Loue is to be dryuen out by reason not to be thrust out by force Amidst the naturall passions of man loue is the fountaine of all other The louer being angry doth flatter hymselfe with many lyes The louer knoweth what hee dooth desire but he knoweth not what he should desire Loue may wither by little and little but the roote will not be remooued on a suddaine It is a profit for young men and a fault for old men to
reuenge for theyr credite but noble mindes forgiue for their vertue Patience is the hope of a heauenly spirit Patience without comfort brings perrill of consumption It is a plesant tarrying that stayeth from euill dooing The end of patience is the expectation of promises That is to be borne with patience which can not be redressed with carefulnes It is no merrit to suffer persecutions if wee haue no patience therein It is more safety to forget an iniury then to reuenge it Aur. The sweetest salue for misery is patience the onely medicine for want is content Better it is by sitting low to liue quiet then by climing hie to fall into misery Patience is the best salue against loue and fortune To suffer infirmities and dissemble mishap the one is the office of a constant sicke man the other of a cunning state-man Patience is a necessarie vertue in a Common weale for by it the magistrate measures what hee speaketh and dissembles what hee suffereth To be discreet in prosperity and patient in aduersitie is the true motion and effect of a vertuous and valiant minde Cicero Quintus Eabius after he had beene Consull disdained not to march vnder the Ensigne of other Consuls Patience being oft prouoked with iniuries breaketh forth at last into fury It is good for a man to wish the best to thinke vpon the worst and patiently to suffer what-soeuer doth happen Humility patience and faire speech are the patifiers of wrath and anger Hee seemeth to be perfectly patient that in his fury can subdue his owne affections Patience and perseuerance are two proper notes vvhereby Gods children are trulie knowne from hypocrites counterfaits and dissemblers Aug. In suffering of afflictions patience is made more strong and perfect The troubles that come of necessity ought to be borne with boldnes and good courage Hee which bendeth himselfe to reuenge doth imitate his doings who is molested with impatience and hee which imitateth an euill man can hardly be good himselfe The best way for a man to be auenged is to contemne iniury and rebuke to liue with such honesty and good behauiour that the dooer of wrong shall at the last be thereof ashamed or at the least leese the fruite of his malice that is he shall not reioyce nor haue glory of thy hinderance and damage serpens sitis ardor arenae Dulcia virtuti gaudit patientia duris Leniter ex merito quicquid patiare ferenduÌ„ est Of Friendship Defi. Friendship is a community of a perpetuall will the end whereof is felowship of life and it is framed by the profit of a long continued loue Friendship is also an inueter at auncient loue wherein is more plesure then desire FRiendship is a perfect consent of thinges appertaining as wel vnto God as to man with beneuolence and charity Friendship in good men is a blessing stable connexing of sundry wils making of two persons one in hauing suffering And therfore a friend is properly called a second selfe for that in both men is but one minde one possession And that which more is a man reioyceth more at his friends good hap then he doth at his owne Aurel. True and perfect friendship is to make one hart and mind of many harts and bodies It is the property of true friends to liue and loue together but fained friends flie from a man in time of tryall Though many times friendship be plighted by shaking of hands yet is it often shaken off by fraud in the hart The smile of a foe that proceedeth of enuy is worse then the teare of a friend proceeding of pitty Friendship iudgeth with partiality and affection winketh at apparant follies A friend cannot be recompenced by riches when for his friend hee putteth his lyfe in ieopardy A knowne foe is better then an vnknowne friend and better it were to be a mole in the earth then a moate in the sunne To diswade a man in a course of honour were not the part of a friend to set one forward in folly no discretion in a man Friends meeting after long absence are the sweetest flowers in the garden of true affection The loue of men to women is a thing common and of course but the friendship of man to man infinite and immortall The fellowship of a true friend in miserie is alwaies sweet and his counsailes in prosperity are alwayes fortunate Friendship is an idle tytle of a thing which cannot be where vertue is abolished Friendship beeing an equitie of reciprocall good will is of three kinds the one of neighbour-hood the other hospitalitie the last loue Arist. Loue is confirmed eyther by gifts or study of vertue then goeth it from a passion to a perfect habit and so leaueth the name of loue and is called friendship which no time can violate VVe ought to vse a friend like gold to try him before we haue neede He is a true friend whose care is to pleasure his friend in all things mooued there-vnto by a meere good will which hee beareth vnto him Aristotle It is no small greefe to a good nature to try his friend Eurip. To beg a thing at a friends hand is to buy it Perfit amity consisteth in equality and agreeing of the minds Such as loue loyalty may well be crost with calamity but neuer iustly accused of inconstancie A friend vnto a friend neither hideth secret nor denieth money The want of friends is perrilous but some friends proue tedious The words of a friend ioyned with true affection giue life to the hart and comfort to a care-oppressed mind Chilo There can be no amitie where is no vertue and that friendship is most hatefull and accursed where some become friends to doe other some harme Friendes ought alwayes to be tryed before they be trusted least shyning like the Carbuncle as if they had fire they be found when they be touched to be without faith Good will is the beginning of friendship which by vse causeth friendship to follow If thou desire to be thought a friend it is necessary that thou doe the workes that belong vnto a friend Among friends there should be no cause of breach but with a dissembler no care of reconciliation He is a friend indeed that lightly forgetteth his friends offence Proud and scornefull people are perrilous friends Friendship ought to be ingendred of equalnes for where equality is not friendship cannot long continue VVhere true friends are knit in loue there sorrowes are shared equally Frends must be vsed as musitions tune their strings who finding them in discord doe not breake them but rather by intention or remission frame them to a pleasant consent The counsaile of a friend must be fastened to the mind not to the eare followed rather then praysed imployed in good liuing and not talked of in bare meaning In Musicke there are many discords before there can be framed a Diapazon in contracting of good wil many â—arrs before there be established a